One of the simplest yet most powerful market research approaches you can utilize is a customer feedback survey.
This type of market research can benefit all types of businesses and organizations, both large and small. They are designed to collect responses, reactions, and comments from customers using a formal questionnaire or form.
There are several options you have when it comes to a customer satisfaction survey, therefore it can be helpful to partner with a customer feedback survey company or third-party market research company to assist you when collecting data.
This ensures honest and unbiased responses that customers may not be willing to offer if the responses go directly to your organization.
We have called this the "messy roommate bias" in prior blog posts. A college student may not tell their roommate that he or she is messy but will tell their friends.
The same principle applies to a customer feedback survey. It is important to offer a third party to design, manage, and collect feedback from customers.
Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Customer Satisfaction Surveys
What is a Customer Feedback Survey?
As stated above, customer feedback surveys are a formal way to collect responses, reactions, and comments from customers using a survey or questionnaire.
You have several options to conduct this survey including:
- Paper comment cards
- Mailed surveys
- Emailed surveys
- Website surveys
- Phone surveys
Most commonly, our market research company recommends utilizing online surveys.
They have the greatest reach being that many organizations have a CRM with customer email addresses. Plus they are perhaps the most cost-effective methodology because you don't have to budget for printing and mailing costs.
Additionally, most people are willing to take a quick 5-minute survey vs. speak to an interviewer for 15-minutes on the phone.
💡 The Key Takeaway: Customer feedback surveys are just that -- surveys that ask customers for feedback. It can be achieved via online, phone, or paper methodologies, however, Drive Research often recommends online surveys to our clients.
How Does a Customer Feedback Survey Work?
Customer feedback surveys are designed to follow a script of questions. The number of questions can range from just a few to upwards of 15 to 20 questions. Keeping surveys short ensures high participation and engagement rates.
When you work with a customer feedback survey company, the project moves through several steps including:
- Kickoff
- Workplan
- Survey design
- Testing
- Fieldwork
- Analysis
- Reporting
If the survey is conducted through mail or email, invitations and potential reminders are sent to customers after an experience takes place or at a given time each month, quarter, or year.
Surveys that are more self-selected such as comment cards or a link on a website typically produce a smaller participation and response rate.
Oftentimes with market research, you need to formally invite or ask a customer to participate in a customer feedback survey.
This is also true with follow-up phone surveys. The phone surveys are typically a bit more expensive and take longer than an email survey. The key benefit is that the interviewer gets to discuss the experience in a more personal fashion.
If you're going the in-house, DIY market research route -- here are a few customer feedback survey questions we recommend including.
💡 The Key Takeaway: When working with a third-party market research company, a majority of the work is done for you. Rely on experts to write, program, field, and analyze the survey to assure you are receiving the best quality data to take action with.
Why is Collecting Customer Feedback Important?
In order to improve your business or organization, you must first learn what your customers like and dislike.
It can provide insight into key questions such as:
- What needs to be improved?
- How satisfied are your customers?
- How loyal are they?
- What competitors do they use?
- What are their preferences for communication?
- What factors lead them to make a purchase?
- How did they hear about your brand/product/service?
- Do they value online reviews?
- What are their demographics?
These and several other objectives can be addressed through a customer feedback survey.
Analyzing this type of commentary can help align marketing and strategy with your organization's next steps. Listening to and acting on customer feedback ensures your strategy is aligned with the needs and wants of your customers.
💡 The Key Takeaway: With each passing year, customer behaviors and buying patterns evolve. For instance, 91% of consumers say they’re likely to continue purchasing more items online in the future. Relying on your customer feedback can help perfect marketing, sales, and business strategy to remain net positive and competitive.
Contact Our Customer Feedback Survey Company
Drive Research is a customer feedback survey company. Our firm works with organizations and businesses across the country helping them custom design and manage customer feedback surveys.
We manage the entire process from start to finish for our clients from kickoff through reporting. Many of our projects are regular surveys (weekly, monthly, or quarterly) to help you keep the pulse of your customers.
Contact us today for more information on our services.
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
George Kuhn
George is the Owner & President of Drive Research. He has consulted for hundreds of regional, national, and global organizations over the past 15 years. He is a CX certified VoC professional with a focus on innovation and new product management.
Learn more about George, here.
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